The Devil May Smile With An Angel's Face
by Waiting To Be Broken
Summary: Death, or Haku as he's been calling himself these days, meets Life, Zabuza, after years of being apart. Some things have changed, some have stayed the same and it's up to him to figure out which one is which.


**A/N** A week ago I realized I haven't been posting much about my favourite couple so here I'm. This turned far too philosophical that I intended it to be. And before you ask, no, Haku is still the uke, he is just a really pushy, dominant uke (just the way I like them! xD)

The Devil May Smile With An Angel's Face

The first time he saw him after they'd separated, he couldn't recognise him at all. Life had been that short, dull guy, with the bright smile that never seemed to fall from his lips. But what had made him stand out was that gentleness in him that made a lot of people choose him before Death.

He was nothing people assumed he was. For one he wasn't cruel, Destiny was. He wasn't at fault for the mistakes people did, he just gave them the time to play just like Nature gave them the terrain. Actually, if you asked Death, Life wasn't good either, he was... neutral. Or had been. Now, Death's former apprentice, because in the good old days people used Life just as a tool to get to him, was so much different. He was tall and dark, an air of menace around him and everyone, even Hope, didn't dare go near him. People, too, were afraid of him. Afraid to live... how pathetic was that.

But he wasn't anyone, he was Death, and with a confident step he headed toward the other creature.

"Life." He bowed politely. He hadn't and wouldn't accept that maybe people now preferred the man in front of him, which technically made him _his_ apprentice, but that didn't mean he wanted to make Life think he was a sour loser.

"I go by the name Zabuza now," Life said from the rim of his glass, his gaze lost somewhere in the space. Death bit back a sigh, that was their first meeting after years of being apart and the other man didn't want to even look at him? "You look exactly the same as I remember."

Death looked down at himself and frowned. His white gown had long ago transformed into a black robe, that looked like a sack of potatoes on his too thin body. He was shorter now, too. All of his curves were gone, he was literally skin and bones (although he had to be grateful- people had been drawing him as a skeleton for centuries). His previously dark hair now had a few white hairs and his black eyes were clouded from everything he had been through. All in all, he was hideous.

"I can disagree, I don't look as good as before. You, on other hand, I could hardly recognise. How have you been doing? "He smiled a perfect and fake smile. The one that only Death could manage to pull, the same that tempted you to do it, just jump from that bridge. Smile you couldn't refuse.

"You've always been gorgeous," Zabuza said in an indifferent tone as if stating the weather. He still hadn't looked at his companion.

Death blushed deep red, cursing his pale skin for showing so much and simultaneously thanking the gods Life's attention wasn't on him.

"I'm called Haku now, by the way," he said at some point just to break the silence that was starting to be unbearable.

"We all are," Zabuza nodded before looking at his companion with wide eyes and chuckling. For a moment he reminded Death of the person Life had been before all those changes. "Not called Haku, of course. I meant we all use human names now, ever since people started fighting us and finding substitutions for us. Hope became Naruto, Love is now Sasuke and Destiny goes by the name Kakashi. He changed, you know... After you left."

There was no accusation in his voice when he said it, but his eyes were different. Sad. It reminded Haku of the times he'd held the other man in his embrace through all those days Disease took his men. But now it was different, Zabuza didn't need comforting. Now he was the strong one. He had changed in the only aspect Haku hadn't. Death was still broken, still sick. Still wanted those things.

"I had to leave," he said softly, gaze locked on Hope, bothering Love all the while trying to distract him enough to sneak a hug. Dumbass, that should have been his name, not Hope. But then again, hope was in most cases blind and stupid, the exact thing that kept it going. And Love just batted his hands away, grumbling something. He'd always been like that- mean and sadistic, but if someone was persistent enough sometimes he became almost... sweet. And that was why Naruto and Sasuke were the perfect couple. Hope continued to push and push and finally with a sigh Love dragged him closer and connected their mouths. Haku smiled, they loved each other, just as he'd loved Zabuza. "And look, you turned out to be just fine."

"Fine?" Life snorted, rolling his eyes. He turned toward the other man, placing his glass on a passing waiter's tray in the process. "Have you seen the news recently. I'm a wreck. People are starting to hate me just as they did in the Dark Ages. I fucking changed! And why? To make you like me!" With every word he spoke, his voice got louder and more people turned to look at them. Not that either of them cared.

"You changed? Why?" Haku frowned, wrinkles appearing on his forehead.

"What do you think?" Zabuza crossed his hands and turned toward the small audience they were gathering, that upon seeing his glare begun to scatter. When he turned toward him again his eyes were soft and showed a vulnerability Haku had never liked seeing in them. He still couldn't decide, though, which was worse- the anger or the sadness. "You left because I, the little, dull apprentice liked you!"

"I d-didn't leave because of you. I had work, you know. 11th September, Iraq, Iran, have _you_ seen the news? You did nothing wrong. If anything if there was such an option I'd have stayed because of you."

"So you don't mind? That I fancied you?"

Haku laughed, wrapping his hands around the other's neck and dragging him closer. His joy grew even more when he heard people around them snort and a few applaud.

"I would mind only if you fanc_ied _me, " he whispered breathlessly, partly because of the bone-crashing hug he was receiving.

Life, he realized then, wasn't as complicated as it looked and as long as you took care of it it would look after you, too. You just had to find someone who brought a smile on your face and warmth in your heart and... it was pretty easy. In more ways than one.


End file.
